Windecayn
Windecayn is an Arkn hold city in the region of Mistria. It is located within the great dormant volcano Mortavest, nestled between two mountain ranges. A heavily industrial and aristocratic city, it is home to the Perpetual Engine, which provides the city (and the region) with power. History Founding Windecayn was founded in the mid-First Age of the Lathrym. Settlers in the region determined that the dormant ethric volcano Mortavrest held an active cauldron in its center. Soon after, the enterprising inventor and energy tycoon Gal’evryn Peake began construction on the Perpetual Engine: a machine that he believed would provide an infinite source of energy. The city began as an encampment built to house the workers and engineers involved in the project, and continued to grow throughout the construction process. Laborers and entrepreneurs alike flocked to the location, under the promise of work and cheap real estate. When construction came to a halt 100 years later, Windecayn had become a bustling center of industry and trade; Distalia went on to evolve into a prosperous, though socially stratified, region. The architects of Windecayn used the technology and engineering techniques developed for Vinaya's Hanging Gardens to construct structures on the sides of the mountains themselves. Geography Architecture The Perpetual Barrier: The Perpetual Barrier is a sigil built into the city’s plan, that acts as a deflector against most direct attacks. The closer to the Engine, the stronger the barrier is. Layout Windecayn has five districts, extending out in concentric semicircles from Mortavrest and the Perpetual Engine. The city is surrounded on all sides by aela forests. Perpetual Engine: Located within the super-heated core of Mortavrest, this half-machine, half-palace is the product of one hundred years of constant construction and engineering, built to not only harness the power of Mortavest's ethric steam, but to house Distalian nobility. The interior is protected by sigils, which keep the heat from destroying the building and its inhabitants. It is often called the Heart of Distalia by the city’s residents, due to its role in keeping the region running (by providing it with power). Power District: Contains power plants (to extend the reach of the Perpetual Engine to the surrounding areas), as well as heavy industrial factories and refineries. Workers’ District: An unofficial district, this section of the city contains the sea of overcrowded tenements and slums that house most Perpetual Engine and Power District workers. Most residents were either born into the Workers’ District, but a significant few are outcasts from the higher strata of Windecayn society. Has a reputation for crime, but very little of it is turned towards fellow residents of the District. Entertainment District: The most cosmopolitan of the Districts of Windecayn. Famous throughout the Empyrium for its more rustic sense of art and culture. Academic District: The scientific and spiritual center of Windecayn. Said to epitomize the Arkn ideal of self-perfection, it houses Windecayn Academy, a large Temple of Fa’brasi. It is also home to many upper-class estates, and an expansive system of well-maintained gardens. Agricultural District: Home to greenhouses, farms, and other food production infrastructure. Culture Aesthetics Aesthetically, Windecayn mostly resembles Edwardian England, with a smattering of Art Deco. The colors copper and gold are prominent throughout the city, as is cobalt blue. Values and Beliefs Windecayn is strongly based around the Arkn ideals of enlightenment and perfection. Those who deviate from those ideals are severely punished or "beaten down", often suffering a severe drop in social standing. Wealth, status, and morality are intrinsically linked in the view of many inhabitants of the city; if asked, most Windecaynians would say that those without means arrived in that state due to their failure to live up to the lofty archetype towards which all must strive. The upper echelons of the city maintain an air of condescending charity towards the lower classes, seeing any charitable gesture — even those that are merely traditional Arkn manners and practices — as a "gift", for which those less fortunate should be graceful. Law and Governance Government For much of Windecayn’s history, industrial and civic leadership remained inseparable, and still is, to a degree, with the Perpetual Engine’s chief engineer also being the de-facto Thani of Distalia. “The one that controls the Engine, controls all,” so the saying went. But after a long, drawn-out battle between the rulers and working classes of the city, an intermediary local government was created, which, over the years, evolved into the current Vocaris’coven, or Court of Speakers. The Court of Speakers is a weird combination of a proper government and a labor union, and is often in conflict with the Thani. Despite the best intentions of the Court of Speakers, Windecayn is very much a plutocracy, with the wealthiest residents of the city possessing the most power. The ruling class have a philosopher-king image, which they are very invested in maintaining. Defense Windecayn is protected by the Civilian Defense Corps. The CDC is made up of a civilians, who are randomly selected to go through an intense, highly secretive training each year. After this training is completed, they become members of the Civilian Defense Corps, which serves both as a secret police force (not to be confused with a "secret police") and a militia trained to stop threats from outside the city. Category:Locations Category:Universe X Category:Settlements Category:Hold Cities Category:Locations (Universe X) Category:Settlements (Universe X)